Clasp



Nov. 13, 1934. B AOGUSH f 1,980,222

CLASP Filed June 30, 1934 INVENTOR eryamzn 03min Y l A TTORNE Y Patented" N'ov. 1:3, 1934 CLASP ration of New York Application iJune 30, 1934, Seria1-`No.733,185

y8 Claims.

This invention relatesto'an improvement in a clasp or fastening 'device' for wrist watches, bracelets, necklaces, `or any other articles of jewelry to rwhich it may be applied. The device produced 5 according to my invention'is one of simple and sturdy construction, having but few parts and being' thus extremely unlikely tofget out of order, at the same time affording aiirm and secure connectionfor the two ends of the encircling band. A further object of the invention is to provide an extremely safe connection for 'the opposite ends of a wrist band or the like, with which the possibility of the wrist band, bracelet, or other article of jewelry becoming lost is extremely unlikely.

'More specically, the device consists of apair of clasp members hinged together and adapted to removably hold one of the ends of the wrist band. The two clasp members frictionally engage one another to hold them in closed relationship, anda very efficient and simple safety clasp is provided forpreventing the inadvertent pivotal separation of the two clasp members.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an embodiment of the invention is shown, Fig. y1` is-a plan View of the improved clasp as applied to a wrist band or cord; Fig. 2 is a side elevation-of the improved clasp showing the same in open condition; Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 30' 3-3 of Fig.2, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4 is Va longitudinal sectional view through the structure of Fig. l1; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper end of the closure member showing the'hinged locking member.

At 1 is shown one of the ends or'loops which is attached to wrist cords 4 in the conventional way. For this purpose, the member 1 is formed with a pair of parallel sleeves 3 into which the ends of the cords fit and are gripped or held by any of the conventional gripping means used in the ljewelry industryr for this purpose. In the event that a flat Wrist band or strap is used, the shape of the parts 3 of the member 1 will be altered accordingly as is well understood in this art. The other end 4,5A of the wrist encircling cords 4 are received-and held in the sleeve prtions'3 of a loop member 2. The bodyportion 25 of the clasp consists of a trough-shaped member provided with spaced parallel side walls 7, an end wall 8, ,and a bottom 10.

5@` The member 1 is formed with a cross-bar 6 which is rigidlyfsecured between the side walls '7 of the body portion 25, so that the body portion is thus iixedly secured to the member 1. The bottom of the body portion is in the form of a fiat plate spring which, near its free end, presses against the hub 11 of a closure member'13. .Saidclosure member-has its hub 11 pivotedon'the pivotpin 12 between thev side walls 7 of the body portion 25. Theside walls '7 lareformed with recessestQfor the reception of the cross-bar 5 on the member 2. 30

In Figs. v1"'and 4,'the claspis shown in 'closed position where it will 'be seen 'that the closure member 1'3`has been folded down'to'overliethe top'or open upper end'of thebody portion 25. When theclosuremember is'in this closed posi- 65 tion, its laterally formed end 16 frictior'iallyengages the end wall 8 of the body'po'rtion`25 so that the two main 'clasp elements,comprising` the closure member '13.andthe'body portion'25, are held together with 'a'so-called snapconnection. 70 The pressureof the vspringlO against th'ehub '11 of the closurememb'er'aids in holding rthe two clasp members in'their closed relationship and prevents inadvertentI pivotal movement'of one of the parts with respect Yto 'the other. :Whenthe 75 twoclasp A'members arev inJ their closed position, as showny infFig. A4, it 'will be seen'that the crossbar 5 on'member'Z islocated in the recesses9 formed-inltheside walls '7 of-'the body portion v25, so that-themember A2 'has this integral portion of its bodyheldbetweenthe twoclasp members.

At-its free end,` the closure member'l'B is formed With an" elongated `slot 1&1 which also extends into the -hook ypart 16, as clearly kshown in Fig. 45. Pivotally mounted in said slot'at the" end of the closure `memberlS isa'locking member 18 which is'supported on the'pivot pin 17. Said'lo'cking memberis formed With'a hook-shaped Vpart 19 whichis'adapted to 'project through'the 'slot 14 when the clasp is in closed position, andenters into` interlocking: engagement Ywith the` xed crossbar'6 on the memberl,r as shown'inFig. 3.

l`From theforegoingythe operation of ,theclas'p will lb'eclearly understood; The vclasp isin its open position is vshown in Fig. "2. `Io close the claspjthe-member2 is'first-'placed inposition, so that its cross-'bar `5 'lies in `the recesses 9, as showninFigfl. The 'closure member 13, aswell as the locking member 18 carried thereby are swung down together toward vthe body portion 25 of the'clasp, by the pressure of a' ngenfas shown in dotted linesin Fig. v2 until the lateral end portion 1`6'of `theclosure member "13 enters into frictional engagement with the end wall 'offthebody portion. lAtlthe same time, the pressure "of =the linger 'on `rthe locking member '18 causes the hook portion 19 thereon to be forced through the slot 14 to snap into interlocking engagement with the cross-bar 6 on the member 1. The surface 21 on the hook portion 19 member being provided with a slot, a locking also frictionally engages the end 15 of the slot 14, so that the locking member is very securely held in its closed position.

To open the clasp, it is merely necessary to engage the portion 20 on the locking member 18 with the linger nail and raise said member 18, thereafter raising the closure member 13` so that the loop member 2 can be lifted out of the re cesses V9 and drawn away from the clasp.

The connection between the various movable parts of the clasp is extremely secure because of the numerous points of frictonal engagement 0f the parts with one another. For example, the spring 10 resists free swinging movement of the closure member 13 with respect tothe body portion 25. The frictional engagement of the projecting lateral end 16 on the closure member 13 with the end wall 8 of the body portionalso acts to prevent inadvertent separation of the part 13 and the body portion 25. The engagement of the hook part V19 with the cross-bar 6 holds the two parts 13'* andthe body portion 25 also4 securely together. At the same timey the frictional engagement of the part 21 of the hook 19 withthe end 15 of the slot 14 prevents the hook from being easily raised and separated from its interlocked engagement with the cross-barl 6.

It will be apparent that a great degree of se curity is attained by the use of the clasp shown, and the possibility of the loss of valuable jewelry Will be prevented. Y

What I claim is:`

1. A clasp comprising, a body portion adapted for securement to one end of a wrist-encircling element, means on said body portion for the reception of a loop member attached to the other end Aof the Wrist-encircling element, a closure member hinged to the body portion and adapted to be folded down to overlie the body portion,

, a locking member hinged .at onel end of the closure member, the closure member being'apertured, said locking member being provided with means movable through the aperture in the closure member for engagement with a part of the body portion when said locking member `is folded down against the'closure member. .v

r2. A claspcomprising, a bodyportion having side walls, said side Wallshaving recesses. for the reecption of a cross bar formed on an element attached to one end" of a wrist-encircling member, a closure member hinged at 4one of its ends between the side Walls of the body portion and adapted to be folded down to overlie the top of the body portion and to overlie the cross `bar and retain it in the recesses, a locking membery hinged at the free end of the closure member andadaptj-` ed to be folded down to overlie the closure member when said member has been folded down vagainstthe body portion, the closure member being provided with a'slot, and a hook-shaped element on the'locking member for entry through said slot to interlock with an element on thebody portion when the locking member is folded down on top of the folded-down closure member.

` 3. A clasp having a body portion formed with a fixed cross bar, a closure member. hinged at one end of the body portion and adapted to be folded downto overlie the body portion, means at the end of the closure member for frictionally engaging With the end of thebody portion, the closure secured, and means on the locking member for entry through said slot to interlock with a fixedV element on the other clasp member to hold both clasp members together in interlocked relationship.

-5. A clasp comprising, a pair of clasp members pivotally connected at one of their ends, a locking member pivoted to the iirst of said members at its end remote from the point of pivotal connection of the two clasp members, and means on said locking member for engaging and interlockingv with a fixed element on the second of said clasp members when the two members are brought together.

6. A clasp comprising, a trough-shaped `body` portion provided with side walls, said walls being provided with recesses for the reception lof the cross bar of a loop member attached "toone end' of ino a wrist-band or the like, a closure member hinged between the side walls at one end of the body portion and adapted to be folded down to overlie the top of the body portion and also to overlie the cross bar on vthe loop member when said cross bar is seated in the recesses, a locking member pivoted at one of its ends to the free end of the closure member at a point remote from the point of con-v nection of the closure member with the' body portion, said locking member having a projecting hook part, the closure member having an aperture through which the hook part projects when the locking member is folded .against the closure member, and a fixed element extending between the side walls of the body portion and adaptedfor interlocking engagement with the hook part when said hook part is projected through theV aperture; 7. A clasp comprising, aI pair. of clasp members pivotally connected together at one of their'ends, the rst ofV said clasp members' being provided with an end adaptedto snap into engagement with the end of the second clasp member to hold said members together in contiguous relationship, a locking ,member pivotally mounted at the end of the first clasp'member, said first clasp member being slotted, and a projecting element fon said locking member adapted toy pass through said slot and frictionallyfengage one of the walls thereof,` said 4element also interlocking with a fixed element on the second clasp member. y l 8,. A clasp comprising, abody portion, an `apertured closure member hinged thereto, a spring operative onthe hinge of said. closure member to resist pivotal movementk of the closure member, a laterally extending free end on the closure member for frictional engagement with a part' of the body portion, a locking member pivoted at the free end of the closure member, meanson the locking member for entry through the aperture in the closure member to interlock with a fixed part of the body portion, said means frictionally engag ing one of the walls of the v y y 'BEN. OGUSH.

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